


Ready As I’ll Ever Be

by RoseGiaco



Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Just know that i might bring them back in a modern universe, M/M, Reincarnation, Saw as ready as I’ll ever be, The dad used to hit, he's dead now - Freeform, i'll tell you later, just know it's a possibility, might kill one might not, not fully sure about the major character death tag, not graphic, slow updates but I’ll try, watch that first
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-04-26 16:57:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14406453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseGiaco/pseuds/RoseGiaco
Summary: Roman watched from the widow, surveying the falling kingdom, a ripped banner fluttered in the breeze, the barricades were well set and the rebels were soon to arrive. His head wrapped in a crown of thorns and black roses. The thorns dug into his head, enough to to sting but not enough to draw blood and in the moment the pain feels right and he wants to make it worse.My au based on the ready as I’ll ever be animaticJust try it please





	1. Long Live The King

**Author's Note:**

> Please be kind and kudos and comment

Roman watched from the widow, surveying the falling kingdom, a ripped banner fluttered in the breeze, the barricades were well set and the rebels were soon to arrive. His head wrapped in a crown of thorns and black roses. The thorns dug into his head, enough to to sting but not enough to draw blood and in the moment the pain feels right and he wants to make it worse. 

The oppressive quiet that strangled the palace’s usual vibrance was broken by the clank of solid iron against stone. The “prisoner” was led in through the doors, the entourage of guards stood at attention, awaiting orders from their newly coronated king, he waved away all but one. Roman sighed. 

“Release him.” 

The guard paused, looking questiongly at their new king.

Roman glanced back with disdain. “Guard, state your name.” 

The head guard startled, hastening to reply. “Alexander, Your Majesty.”

Roman smiled, it was a cruel, sad little thing, nothing like his old ones, but Alexander wouldn’t know that. 

“Alexander, that’s a good name, a strong name.” Roman’s smile took on a threatening quality, he fully turned to face the guard and the prisoner, both captives in this situation. 

The guard felt a fine mix of dread and terror bubbling in his gut, he smiled uneasily and bowed. “Highest praise your majesty, I am undeserving.”

Roman smirked, “Yes you are, especially after disobeying your new king.” 

The guard heard the scrape of a sword against the ground, from his position he could see the sharpened tip just before a flash of moonlight blinded him. Alexander’s breath hitched.

“Please, Your Majesty, I beseech you, give mercy.” the guard was trembling under the weight of the king’s stare. 

Roman chuckled, “I will grant your request, if only for you to spread the word, tell them their new king will not accept insolence. Release the prisoner and you may go.” 

The guard did not hesitate. 

The newly unchained prisoner just looked at the king and a tear slid down his face.

“Why Roman?”

“You know know better than to ask that Thomas.”


	2. How Do You Plead?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How do you plead?”
> 
> Thomas knew, the line had to be drawn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so there is reference to some child abuse and this might trigger some people so read with caution. Remember you don't owe anyone anything, your own well-being should always come first

Thomas flinched as if struck. 

“It doesn’t have to be like this, it can be better. You could be better.” 

“I won’t.” Roman muttered ruefully.

Roman composed himself again, anger making its well-traveled way back into his heart. Thomas looked upon him now, his darling brother lost in his own fury.

“Thomas Sanders, Second Prince of Sanderia, you are charged with treason and conspiracy to commit regicide. The sentence for your crimes is death, how do you plead?” Roman read the charges in a droll sort of way, like he knew the answer.

“He wasn’t a good man Roman, why can’t you see that? He starved his people, he killed indiscriminately.” Thomas knew what else he wanted to say but he hesitated, not quite ready to draw that line in the sand. 

Romans cold voice echoed across the room, clear and precise like a killing blow, no hesitation. 

“How do you plead?”

Thomas knew, the line had to be drawn.

“The people had hope for you, but all you’ve shown them is that you’re just like him.”

Thomas felt the blush of pain spreading on his cheek before he heard the slap. For just a moment Thomas saw a flash of regret splashed across his older brother’s face before he quickly shuttered it again. 

“Do not speak ill of the dead, especially when you helped to kill them.” 

Thomas sighed, shaking his head lightly. 

Roman was toeing the line of destruction, and he had to be stopped, no matter the cost.

“Hitting is something he used to do too. You more than me but I know how our father felt about that, a slap or two to keep them in line, children are to be seen not heard. Is that really who you want to resemble? A tyrant who didn’t even give a damn about you or what you wanted as long as he had a perfect son who was his carbon copy!”

“Quiet!”

Roman froze up, a wave of sheer indignation rushed through him and pulled him into a sea of wrath. Thomas would not see sense, so there was only one thing to be said.

“How do you plead?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and kudos!! I helps me be motivated to write more


	3. Into The Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know he’s the one leading the charge right? He is the one you’ll be facing,he is the one you’ll have to kill if you want to rule unopposed, and even then he’ll be a martyr.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So i recently found out that the animatic had a totally different story behind it, so this is my interpretation of it 
> 
> As usual please comment and kudos

In the blackened woods there was a storm brewing. 

Logan looked towards the palace through his telescope and sighed.

The castle was heavily fortified but there was a shortage of guards, many had defected to the rebels after Roman’s coronation, unwilling to suffer through another tyrant, afraid the son would be just like the father, if not worse.

And well, Roman always loved to go above and beyond.

Covina had been a small village and rebel stake-out hiding in plain sight, mostly because there had been few actual rebels. After the king’s assassination the rebels fled in the dark of night, they hadn’t wanted to endanger the people of Covina.

It didn’t work.

The king’s guard laid waste to Covina, almost no one had survived.

These were certainties, after that it got muddy.

It was alleged that Roman knew the rebels were no longer there and ordered the town massacred regardless, there was no way to tell who knew what when. Logan knew that it wouldn’t have mattered, the people’s resentment of Roman had reached a fever pitch, and now the moment for action was at hand.

Logan looked up towards the stars one last time.

“You can come out now, you know?”  
______________________________

“Guilty.” 

Roman closed his eyes and turned away, swallowing his grief.

“You’d die for the rebels that killed your father?”

“I’d rather die for what they’ve done than live with what you’re doing.”

Roman’s head snapped back 

“The only thing I’m doing is restoring law.”

“Is that what you’re calling what you did to Covina? What you’re doing is killing people! There was a time you would have died for everyone sitting just outside these castle walls. What happened to that Roman!?”

“You killed him with our father.”

“Please listen, don’t do this.” Thomas was begging.

“They killed the king, justice is merited.”

“This isn’t justice, this is vengeance, innocent people will die and you could stop it!”

“It’s already done.”

Roman moved away from Thomas, grabbing his sword from where it lay on the mahogany armoire and sheathed it, then fastened his cloak around his neck. In the moment it felt reminiscent of a noose.

“You know he’s the one leading the charge right? He is the one you’ll be facing,he is the one you’ll have to kill if you want to rule unopposed, and even then he’ll be a martyr.”

 

Roman looked down, remorse winding itself around his long dead heart. He turned and pushed open the doors to the terrace. He placed his hands on the banister, looking out over his kingdom, out into the darkness and even to where he couldn’t see, where he knew a revolution was brewing. A flash of burnt chocolate eyes and a brilliant red scarf invaded Roman’s mind.

“Of course I do.”

____________________________


	4. One more wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton lowered his head. 
> 
> “Do you think we can save him?” 
> 
> “It’s unlikely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this is just mindless logicality fluff hope you like it

A hand reached out from the brush, guiding the branches away from his form.

Patton smiled, It was a tired, well worn thing. “You always seem to know where I am.”

Logan replied without looking behind him, a dash of a grin gracing his face, packing his telescope into a blue-velvet lined case.

“Call it my intuition acting up.”

“Does your intuition say anything about the battle to come?”

Logan sighed, looking towards the castle.

“People will die.”

Patton lowered his head. 

“Do you think we can save him?” 

“It’s unlikely.”

Patton felt sadness cloying its way up his throat, his heart aching in his chest the beginnings of tears clouding his vision. He instinctively moved to wipe away his tears, he moved to take off his glasses and felt them being lifted off his face. 

“I never said it was impossible.”

Logan felt like he was holding everything in his hands, Patton’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Logan spoke truth, it wasn’t impossible. Unlikely, monumentally difficult, but not impossible.

“You shouldn’t play with my heart like that.” Patton chucked

“You should let me finish my sentences.” 

“You shouldn’t joke like that, we could die.”

It was a sobering thought and a sad truth, Patton thought.

“What do you want me to do?” 

Now or never. 

“Kiss me?”

It was a beautiful, bittersweet, wonderful kiss. It was everything, yet it was nothing but a moment. Logan pulled away first, he had a wonderful blush spreading across his cheeks. 

“Was that satisfactory?”

Patton giggled at Logan’s less than steady voice. 

“Not nearly enough, but we have to go.”

They both shifted towards each other, logan pushing back his bangs’ Patton re-adjusting his glasses. 

“One more wish?”

“What is it?”

“Together we’ll succeed, I have faith in us, but no matter what…

“What?.” 

“Stay alive”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment and kudos, it's what motivates me to write


	5. Out The Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long time ago…
> 
>  
> 
> “Can we go?”
> 
>  
> 
> “No.”
> 
>  
> 
> “Please Roman?”
> 
>  
> 
> “No Thomas.”
> 
>  
> 
> “But brother why?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So glad to be back I left for a very long time, please give me comments because I need them to write.

Virgil watched the ashes and embers settle at the bottom of the fire. The smoke twirling and twisting into the night sky and oblivion alike. Around him people were preparing for war, dirt smeared, anger ridden faces were looking to him for hope, for guidance, and he had no idea what to do.

 

He'd sought counsel wherever it could be found, and he hoped. He hoped that they would survive, he hoped that his new and surprisingly massive group of followers could bring about revolution, and he hoped that the sometimes dark and often dreadful feeling rolling around in his gut would quiet. 

 

All equally unlikely things.

 

But the most treacherous hope that seemingly rose from the ashes that were roiling at the bottom of the fire pit was that Virgil wouldn’t have to kill one of his greatest regrets personified.

 

He picked up a torch from were it was resting intermingled with the flames and started towards the center of camp, Patton and Logan would likely be there already, waiting for him to make a speech to gather the people.

 

________________________________

 

_ A long time ago…  _

 

“Can we go?”

 

“No.”

 

“Please Roman?” 

 

“No Thomas.” 

 

“But brother why?”

 

Roman looked up from his writing desk and from the various pieces of parchment strewn across It. His brother was perched on the adjacent balcony overlooking the town square. The citizens conversed freely and joyously about frivolous things, who was bringing who to the annual summer festival, what everyone would be wearing, bets on whether or not the cobbler’s son  would propose to the seamster’s daughter or some such nonsense whilst their princes Roman and Thomas were drowning in land disputes and boredom, respectively. 

 

“Because we’ll be recognized.”

 

“So what if we’re recognized, princes should be among their people! You taught me that.”

 

“Sadly yes, I taught you that misguided lesson when I was 14 and all I knew was chivalry and fantasy. Mark my words Thomas, nobody should be listened to when they’re 14.” Roman replied with a overly condescending tone.

 

“Hey, I’m 14!” Thomas yelled in indignation.

 

“I didn’t mispeak.”

 

“Come on brother, it’s just one day in the town, we'll wear disguises and everything, it’ll be just like those books you used to read, you could be just like those brave knights!”

 

“Thomas my thoughts on this matter are final. We aren’t going.”

 

Thomas sighed dramatically, he had one last card to play to try to weedle his brother into going with him. 

 

“Fine then brother, guess I’ll have to go and venture off as a knight whilst you’re stuck waiting to be rescued from the evil heap of endless paperwork.” 

 

Roman pinched the ridge of his nose and inhaled sharply. If he had known that filling out mountains of paperwork and mediating petty quarrels between power hungry lords was what being heir to the throne was all about then he would’ve… but that was exactly it, he couldn’t quite quit being crown prince. He had responsibilities now, duties that he shouldn’t brush aside just because his brother could. 

 

Key word there being shouldn’t, but well… 

 

“If, and that’s a big if, I take you to the bazaar you have to swear that you’ll follow my every instruction, you’ll keep your disguise on the entire time and that this won’t end up like our trip to Lyrica.”

 

Thomas shrugged with exaggerated nonchalance.

 

“Lyrica wasn’t that bad.”

 

“Says the one who got off completely scott free while I had to explain to those lovely citizens why there was sneezing powder in their main grain tower.” Roman cringed at the memory, father had been furious that his prized sons had embarrassed him like that. Proper princes didn’t disrupt or disappoint, and Roman had taken all of his father’s “disappointment” after Thomas had gone to sleep. He’d had bruises lingering on his back for a days. 

 

Thomas chuckled, already planning their path to his favorite booths at the town bazaar. Whenever his brother said if, he truly meant when; even with all his undue caution. 

 

“It's going to be spectacular, brother! A true adventure, we might even slay a dragon.”

 

Roman's smile took on a dreamlike quality. Yes, those stories were always his favorites, dashing princes, noble quests, and glory for the heroes. 

 

“Come on brother, I'm already out the door!”

 

Roman looked up and his brother was indeed standing in the door way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonder who they're going to meet at the bazaar???  
> It's such a mystery.


End file.
